May 27, 2009 03:29am
Thrills go for Gold Coast ShowMatthew Killoran
May 27th, 2009
PORTABLE flume rides and loop-the-loop roller coasters are made to thrill and the good news is they're coming to the Gold Coast Show.
Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association president Stan Durkin told The Gold Coast Bulletin the new portable rides were coming to Australia from Europe and would become a fixture at the show.
The rides, valued at $2 million each, are smaller versions of those at theme parks -- the only difference is they are set up at the start of the show and packed up at the end.
Gold Coast Show manager Doug Reiser said if the rides arrived in Australia in time, he wanted them at this year's show, to be held in August.
Mr Durkin was on the Gold Coast this week for the AALARA conference and trade exhibition for theme parks, shows, fairs, festivals and events.
He said the conference was buzzing with news of the new portable rides aimed at shows and fairs.
"The portable flume ride hasn't been done before," said Mr Durkin.
"There have been portable roller coasters before, but this is the first one with a loop in it.
"The others have been thrilling in their own way."
Mr Reiser said roller coasters and flume rides were popular at theme parks and he was excited about the prospect of them being at the show.
"For some reason roller coasters are the basis of any amusement park.
"They're always trying to put in a bigger, better, faster roller coaster even though they already have one," he said.
"They're extremely popular -- now they're bringing them out as portable units so it's giving people outside major cities the chance to experience them at their local fair or agricultural show."
While they have been des-igned to travel it is not a quick task to piece them together.
Mr Durkin said they were brought into town on the back of a semi-trailer, then put together over three days using a truck-mounted crane.
Once set up the rides would be a monstrous 40m wide, 60m long and 15m high.
He said they were not quite as fast as their larger counterparts but just as thrilling.
Mr Durkin said they would be available in time for the Gold Coast Show, but could not confirm if they would be at our city's event.
"There's good competition out there for the rides. But the Gold Coast Show has become very, very popular," he said.
Mr Reiser was optimistic about showcasing them at this year's show.
He said the Coast would have to fight to get them, with competition coming from the Perth and Melbourne shows, which are held soon after the Gold Coast Show, which will be from August 28-30.

Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association president Stan Durkin told The Gold Coast Bulletin the new portable rides were coming to Australia from Europe and would become a fixture at the show.

Mr Durkin said they would be available in time for the Gold Coast Show, but could not confirm if they would be at our city's event.

Regardless, I'll have to get my yearly dose of dodginess and have a ride of these coasters come August.
Edit: I just found another funny thing on the GC Bulletin site, the 'artists impression' of how these new rides will look....we've got Viper at SFMM in there.
Edited May 27, 2009 by Gazza